One noteworthy entrepreneurial venture launched in 2023 in Philadelphia by a longtime New York fashion brand designer, Shannon Maldonado, is a hotel with a unique concept of selling its decor. As detailed in the NY Times, Shannon Maldonado got her inspiration from world travels, as she consistently sought out unique and interesting souvenirs in hotel gift shops.
While still in New York in 2015, Maldonado launched Yowie, a site that sold contemporary housewares, such as ceramic kitchen items. Moving to Philadelphia, she launched several Yowie pop-ups and finally rented out a small boutique retail space in the hip Queen Village neighborhood.
Maldonado’s current venture, the Yowie Hotel, spans 13 rooms in rowhouses near the Delaware River. Each room features unique decor and ambiance, mostly including stone countertop-equipped kitchenettes. Also offering a cafe, the hotel contains a large ground-floor retail space that showcases Yowie houseware items.
If guests see a mug in their room that they enjoy or a table they can’t resist, they can purchase the items via the Yowie store or through a direct order placed to the maker (using an in-room catalog). The hotel thus represents an expanded sense of commerce beyond simply having guests pay for a night.
Samantha Levine (New York City) 
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